Garment Accessories and Methods

ABSTRACT

A garment accessory including an elongate strap and a connecting mechanism. The elongate strap may have a first end, a second end, and an elastic portion between the first and second ends. The strap may be configured to wrap around a portion of a wearer&#39;s body in such a manner that the strap crosses over itself. The connecting mechanism may be configured to attach the first end and second end of the strap to a garment worn by a wearer. The connecting mechanism may include a loop rotatably attached to the connecting mechanism, the loop being configured to receive the strap; a jaw portion configured to move between an open position and a closed position, the jaw portion being securable to a portion of the garment when in the closed position.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to garments and garment accessories. Particularly, the present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for fastening articles to a garment for functional and decorative purposes.

2. Description of Related Art

A variety of fashion accessories are known in the art for a variety of adornment and sometimes functional purposes such as belts, ties, and the like. The present disclosure provides additional accessories and methods of using the same.

SUMMARY

In one exemplary embodiment, a garment accessory is disclosed that includes an elongate strap and a connecting mechanism. The elongate strap may have a first end, a second end, and an elastic portion between the first and second ends. The strap may be configured to wrap around a portion of a wearer's body in such a manner that the strap crosses over itself. The connecting mechanism may be configured to attach the first end and second end of the strap to a garment worn by a wearer. The connecting mechanism may include a loop rotatably attached to the connecting mechanism, the loop being configured to receive the strap; a jaw portion configured to move between an open position and a closed position, the jaw portion being securable to a portion of the garment when in the closed position; and a dish-shaped cover rotatably attached to the connecting mechanism and configured to cause the jaw portion to open and receive the garment.

A method of attaching a garment accessory is having an elongate strap and a connecting mechanism is also disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes wrapping the strap underneath the arch of a wearer's foot, crossing the strap over itself on a top portion of the wearer's foot, wrapping the strap around the back of the wearer's leg, crossing the strap back over the front of the leg; and attaching the strap to the wearer's garment using the connecting mechanism.

A garment accessory system is also disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the system includes an elongate strap having a first end, a second end, and an elastic portion between the first and second ends, the strap being configured to wrap around a portion of a wearer's body in such a manner that the strap crosses over itself; and a garment having an integrated connecting mechanism configured to attach the first end and second end of the strap to the garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the method and system of the disclosure. Together with the description, the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments.

FIGS. 1A-1C are illustrative views of various embodiments of a garment accessory in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-2C are illustrative views of various further embodiments of a garment accessory in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3A-3D are illustrative views of different clips that can be used as part of a garment accessory in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate various aspects of exemplary garment accessories in accordance with the disclosure.

FIGS. 5A-5F illustrate further aspects of exemplary garment accessories in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIGS. 6A-6F illustrate exemplary methods for using garment accessories in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The method and corresponding steps of the disclosed embodiments will be described in conjunction with the detailed description of the system.

The devices and methods presented herein may be used for retaining and adorning different garments, such as shoes, pants and/or shirts and blouses. In various embodiments, the accessories generally include a strap having a first end, a second end, and an elastic portion between the first and second ends. A retainer can be provided on one or both ends of the accessory for attaching the accessory to the garment of a wearer.

For purposes of illustration, and not limitation, as embodied herein and as illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, a garment accessory 100 is depicted in the form of a strap 102 that is laced underneath the arch of the foot, wrapped around the ankle and calf, and attached proximate the lower extremity of the wearer's pants using a clip 110 or other retainer. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, the accessory 100 covers the space between the user's shoes and pants, providing a means of fashion expression for the wearer. The accessory 100 also serves a functional purpose as it maintains the distance between the wearer's pants and shoes. While the accessory 100 is depicted in combination with flat bottomed shoes/sandals in FIGS. 1A-C, it will be appreciated that accessory 100 can be combined with any suitable footwear such as high-heels, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A-C.

For purposes of further illustration, and not limitation, FIGS. 3-5 illustrate various embodiments of accessory 100 utilizing a clip 110 for attaching the strap 102 to the wearer's garment. While any suitable connector can be used, the illustrated clip 110 is preferred for aesthetic purposes. As illustrated, clip 110 includes a round body that includes a dish-shaped cover 114 that rotates about a hinge 116 to cause jaws 118 underneath the cover 114 to open and receive the wearer's garment 120. As also illustrated, clip 110 includes a loop 112 for receiving the strap 102. FIG. 3A presents various views of a first clip 110 having a relatively wide loop 112. While the loop 112 in the clip of FIG. 3A is presented as defining a plane that is generally coplanar (in the same or parallel planes) with the other components of the clip when in a closed condition, it can also be bent as illustrated in FIG. 3B so that the loop lies in a plane that is oblique (e.g., perpendicular, but can be any other angle as desired between 0 degrees and 150 degrees in one degree increments, as desired) to the plane of the clip 110. Providing such a bend can be advantageous from an aesthetic point of view as it eliminates a gap (see, e.g., FIG. 4A) between the strap 102 and the clip 110 that would otherwise be visible during use. Bending the loop 112 or simply manufacturing it in that configuration eliminates the gap, as illustrated in FIG. 4B. The clip 110 illustrated in FIG. 4C is the same as that of FIG. 4A, but includes a loop 112 of reduced profile to help eliminate the appearance of a gap. Such a loop 112 of reduced profile can similarly be bent at an angle as illustrated in FIG. 4D. FIGS. 5A-5F provide further views illustrating the gap and the physical relationship between the

While a particular clip is illustrated, a variety of other fasteners can be used. For example, the strap 102 can be provided with a button hole at each end and attached to a button at the extremity of the garment 120. The garment can be a special purpose garment sold with the accessory (e.g., as a kit), or can be a general purpose garment, wherein the accessory is provided with a button to be sewn or otherwise attached to the garment 120. Aside from buttons, any other desired fastener can be used, such as hooks, snaps, or any other refastenable fastener. In one embodiment, the garment 120 be provided with or modified to include a slot (not shown) through which the strap 102 is fed. The strap end region can be provided with hook and loop fastener patches so that it can attach to itself after being passed through the slot in the garment.

The strap 102 can be made from a variety of materials, including one or more fabrics of different pattern and different durometer. For example, in one embodiment, the strap 102 can include a single elastic strap with a skin-friendly surface. In another embodiment, the strap may include a first portion that is generally inelastic and one or more elastic portions that can stretch to facilitate fit while in use. The strap can also be a disposable item, if desired, and formed from a non-woven fabric and optionally including elastic material. In further embodiments, the strap can be made from recycled materials. For example, in one embodiment, end portions of the strap 102 can be provided that are relatively inelastic, joined by an elastic center portion. In another embodiment, the end portions can be elastic, and joined by a relatively inelastic center portion. By way of further example, the strap can include one elastic portion and one inelastic portion.

The strap 102 can be provided in any desired color with any desired pattern thereon. In some embodiments, the strap can be of a very bright color and if desired can include photoluminescent material or any other highly reflective or light emitting material such as those described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/106,301, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. If desired, the strap 102 can be a neutral color (black, white, beige and the like) and can be provided with hook and/or loop fastener portions thereon for attaching a patterned portion/insert thereto. Thus, a kit can be provided with one or more neutral colored straps 102 and one or more patterned inserts for matching with different outfits.

An exemplary method of attaching a fashion accessory 100 is presented in FIGS. 6A-6F. In FIG. 6A, the strap 102 is routed underneath the arch of the wearer's foot. The strap is then criss-crossed over the top of the foot as illustrated in FIG. 6B. The strap 102 is then wrapped around the back of the wearer's leg (FIG. 6C), crossed back over the front of the leg to form a second “X” (FIG. 6D), and clipped to the back or sides of the user's leggings (FIG. 6E). FIG. 6F illustrates the accessory 100 including the strap 102 and clips 110 at each end.

The embodiment illustrated in the figures of the present application are attached to the foot/ankle area and pants. However, additional embodiments include longer straps that can be laced up to or past the knee to attach to different types of garments (e.g., yoga pants, Capri pants, shorts, leggings, bicycle shorts and the like). If desired, strap 102 can be passed through the thumb and forefinger of a user, and laced around the back of the hand, up the forearm and/or upper arm and attached to a blouse. In other embodiments, one or more straps 102 are attached to a user's bracelet/anklet/watch and laced about the leg/forearm and clipped to a garment. If desired, the strap 102 can alternatively be passed underneath the arch of the footwear being worn by the user. In some embodiments, the accessory 100 can be laced over another garment, such as stockings, and attached to leggings or pants, as desired. In a further embodiment, footwear is provided having a slot underneath the sole for passing the strap 102 through. In another embodiment, footwear (e.g., shoes, ankle-length socks, and the like) are provided including a retainer for receiving one or more straps 102 for lacing about the wearer's leg and attached to a garment.

In further embodiments, while one strap 102 is illustrated as being wrapped around a body part, it is possible to lace a second, third, or further strap 102 about the same body part. The strap 102 can have various lengths when not under tension, such as between ten and forty inches, in half inch increments. The straps 102 can also have various widths that can be different from one another. For example, a strap 102 can have a width between about one quarter inch and about two inches, in one-eighth inch increments.

In further embodiments, strap 102 can include various lighting devices such as LEDs and the like. The LEDs can be lit using piezoelectric elements that are, for example, integrated into the strap and that cause the LEDs to light when a user walks or otherwise moves the body part to which the strap is attached. The piezoelectric elements can be located in a central region of the strap between the ends such that the area is compressed when stood on by the user (by virtue of it being located under the user's foot). If desired, indicia (e.g., a star, line, dot, etc.) can be provided on strap 102 in the region including the piezoelectric elements so as to permit alignment of that region with the arch of the wearer's foot to ensure proper alignment. In further embodiments, strap 102 includes a material of relatively high heat capacity to absorb to heat. Accordingly, if desired, a user/wearer can place strap 102 in a cooling medium (e.g., freezer) or heating medium (e.g., microwave oven) and cool or heat the strap such that it provides thermal therapy benefit when worn. In further embodiments, accessories can be attached to the strap 102 such as a pedometer and the like for keeping track of how far the user/wearer has walked.

It is submitted that, the methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for fashion accessories with superior attributes vis-à-vis the prior art. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the devices and methods of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure include modifications and variations that are within the scope of the subject disclosure and equivalent 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A garment accessory comprising: an elongate strap having a first end, a second end, and an elastic portion between the first and second ends, the strap being configured to wrap around a portion of a wearer's body in such a manner that the strap crosses over itself; a connecting mechanism configured to attach the first end and second end of the strap to a garment worn by the wearer.
 2. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap is configured to wrap around at least a portion of a wearer's foot and leg.
 3. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap is configured to wrap around at least a portion of a wearer's hand and arm.
 4. The garment accessory of claim 1, elongate strap comprises a plurality of elongate straps.
 5. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism includes: a loop rotatably attached to the connecting mechanism, the loop being configured to receive the strap; a jaw portion configured to move between an open position and a closed position, the jaw portion being securable to a portion of the garment when in the closed position; a dish-shaped cover rotatably attached to the connecting mechanism and configured to cause the jaw portion to open and receive the garment.
 6. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the loop is configured to rotate between 0 degrees and 150 degrees in relation to the plane of the connecting mechanism.
 7. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism is a button hole configured to be attached to a button on the garment.
 8. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism is a selected from the group consisting of one or more hooks, snaps, and hook-an-loop fasteners.
 9. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism comprises a slot in the garment configured to allow the strap to pass through and a hook-and-loop fastener patch on the garment configured to secure the strap to the garment.
 10. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap includes one or more inelastic portions.
 11. The garment accessory of claim 10, wherein the first end includes a first inelastic portion, the second end includes a second inelastic portion, and wherein the first and second inelastic portions are joined by an elastic portion.
 12. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap includes photoluminescent material.
 13. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap includes reflective material.
 14. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap includes light-emitting material.
 15. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap includes a lighting device.
 16. The garment accessory of claim 14, wherein the lighting device comprises a piezoelectric element configured to light up when the wearer moves the portion of the body around which the strap is wrapped.
 17. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap includes a material configured to absorb heat and to provide at thermal therapy benefit to the wearer when worn.
 18. The garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the strap includes fastener portions configured to attach an insert to the strap.
 19. A method of attaching a garment accessory having an elongate strap and a connecting mechanism, the method comprising: wrapping the strap underneath the arch of a wearer's foot; crossing the strap over itself on a top portion of the wearer's foot; wrapping the strap around the back of the wearer's leg; crossing the strap back over the front of the leg; and attaching the strap to the wearer's garment using the connecting mechanism.
 20. A garment accessory system comprising: an elongate strap having a first end, a second end, and an elastic portion between the first and second ends, the strap being configured to wrap around a portion of a wearer's body in such a manner that the strap crosses over itself; a garment having an integrated connecting mechanism configured to attach the first end and second end of the strap to the garment. 